If coach Keitha Adams had an unwritten wish list for UTEP's final nonconference game of the year, her Miners did a good job of checking off a bunch of items.

They owned the boards, 55-35. They fixed the problem from the last victory, defensive transition, by only allowing three fast-break points. They got a productive game from reserve Saidah Zuberi Allen, who had 12 points, seven rebounds, four steals and two assists, part of a season-high 24 bench points.

REPORTER

Bret Bloomquist

And they won, routing UT-Pan American 83-56 Sunday afternoon at the Don Haskins Center.

UTEP had to weather a bit of a storm from a team that knocked the bottom out of the net from 3-point range for a half (7-of-15), then adjusted and clamped down in the second period (2-of-8).

A player who doesn't get much recognition, Chrishauna Parker, may get some after a 17-point, 12-rebound, three-assist game stated her case for Conference USA Player of the Week honors.

Most of all, the Miners weren't terribly impressed with themselves after improving to 12-1 and winning for the 41st time in the last 46 games.

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The second half "was OK, but we still have a lot of work to do," said Parker, who averaged 16 points, 13 rebounds and five assists for the two games this week. "I wouldn't say these were my best two games. I just try to play as hard as I can and help us win games."

That actually was in some doubt for 45 minutes. After UTEP charged out to an early 25-12 lead, the Broncos kept their composure and started raining down 3-pointers to get within 37-33 at the half. With 15:55 left in the game, UTEP led 41-36 during a media timeout when Adams lectured her team.

"We were a little frustrated," Adams said. "I said, 'Don't think of anything that's happened, we just need to play well from here on out.' "

From there, UTEP scored on nine of its next 12 possessions, and after giving up another 3-pointer, clamped down on defense. An 18-4 run shortly after that timeout turned 43-39 into 61-43 and the bench tended the lead well down the stretch.

"Our consensus in the locker room is that we played well for 15 minutes; we played well for 15 minutes in the second half," Adams said. "We weren't very good in the first half. We were a little lethargic, a half-step slow. We weren't on our 'A' game.

"Then for 15 minutes, we kicked it in. What we understand is 15 minutes (in conference) is only good enough to get you beat."

Perhaps the most encouraging thing was the play of guard Zuberi Allen, who followed up Friday's 11-rebound effort with a near-double-double that included 5-of-5 shooting in 20 minutes.

"Sy had a good game. She's been doing better in practice," Adams said. "I'm starting to figure her out. She's figuring this thing out."

UTEP actually played fairly well offensively, but struggled with its shooting in a game where the officials let the teams defend aggressively under the basket. With 15:55 remaining, UTEP was 14-of-41 from the field, then made 15 of its last 31 shots.

Anete Steinberga began that charge with back-to-back baskets for the last of her 12 points, Parker then made a three-point play -- she had three of those on the game and missed a free throw that would have been a fourth -- and Kayla Thornton hit a 3-pointer (she had 14 points and 15 rebounds).

Kelli Willingham, Destinee LaFountain and Zuberi Allen all added baskets as the lead grew to 18.

The other big difference was defense.

"We were sleepwalking in the first half," Adams said. "There were times when we had two people on one; switch-outs, we weren't really good on those things. The second half was better."

During UTEP's big run, UTPA went through a stretch where it scored twice in 10 possessions as the game quickly got away from the Broncos.

The Miners ended up with an 18-2 advantage in second-chance points, a 14-3 edge in fast-break points and a 26-8 advantage in points off turnovers. Every player participated.

UTEP set a program record for the most nonconference victories and is two wins away from matching its best-ever start. The Miners, however, was already turning a page as conference action begins.

"It's a new season, now we're 0-0," Adams said. "We had a very good first semester, now that's over and we're 0-0."

"This doesn't matter. It's how we do in conference and we're 0-0 in conference," Parker said. "If we're still undefeated-and-1 at the end of conference, I'll say I'm proud. We're 0-0 now."

Bret Bloomquist may be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; 546-6359. Follow him on Twitter @bretbloomquist.